


With Bow and Blade

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: General, War of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-20
Updated: 2006-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-24 23:49:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3788870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The final battles of the Ring War have begun. Two warriors are closer than they realize.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

  


_Filth. Blood. Gore._  
  
The stuff drenched him until he no longer knew where the grime ended and he began. So long as he fought, he lived. _Nock, draw, release._ He glanced up, a foul darkness covered the sky where the sun should be or had blood marred his vision? _Unsheathe, parry, thrust_ \- his blade found its way home again and again, until he no longer cared about the hour, nor feared to count himself among the dead.  
  
 _Resheathe._ He hung his head for a moment. _Exhausted. Numb._ Did Aragorn yet live? Bitter tears stung the back of his closed lids. He did not know. He needed to tell him he understood. _Weary. Tired._ All those man-words that never before made sense, suddenly took hold of his heart.  
  
A fierce battle cry rang out across the valley.  
  
Legolas shook himself. " _Ada?_ " Yet Thranduil was leagues away. Legolas felt the boughs of the Green Wood bend at the first assault; knew his father would not leave their people in this time of need.  
  
Again, he heard the familiar voice, commanding, " _Do not despair!_ " it seemed he would not leave Legolas either.  
  
"Ada!" The image of the King faded.  
  
No time -- Legolas faced their foe again. _Nock, draw, release..._  
  
He felt renewed.


	2. Deliverance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battles of the Ring War have begun. Two warriors are closer than they realize.

Thranduil raised his blade. The weapon arched, shimmered silver, and neatly separated flesh from bone. _Blood. Gore. Filth._ He spat on the enemy then pulled his sword free. Attacked from behind, he swiveled and swung again, savoring the singing sound the iron made before it tasted death. _Slash. Parry. Thrust._ An age-old dance the Elven-King knew too well. He did not falter; knew the enemy could not, _would not_ , overcome his people. He would not allow it.  
  
He raised his arm to attack again, and found his blade met air, the corpses of the enemy surrounding him.   
  
Just ahead, an elf stood alone in the clearing, his head bowed. A goblin approached him from behind. " _Does the fool not see the danger?_ " Too far away to make use of his sword, Thranduil sheathed it quickly, raising his voice in a cry of warning and then, in alarm. _Nock, draw, release…_  
  
The arrow found its mark.   
  
The image before Thranduil melted into the shadows. The lone figure somehow reminding him of his son.   
  
_Would that we could fight this foe together._  
  
Thranduil walked on. Ahead the battle loomed. He drew his blade.  
  
"Do not despair!"  
  
The King joined the fray.  



End file.
